page_title: Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, 2.5 years, blue-roan Deutsch: Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, 2.5 Jahre, blue-roan
context_page_description: The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse is a horse breed from the U.S. state of Kentucky. Developed as an all-around farm and riding horse in eastern Kentucky, it is related to the Tennessee Walking Horse and other gaited breeds. In 1989 the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse Association was formed, and in 2002, the subsidiary Spotted Mountain Horse Association was developed to register Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horses with excessive white markings and pinto patterns. Conformation standards are the same for the two groups of horses, with the main difference being the color requirements. The KMSHA studbook is now closed to horses from unregistered parents, although it cross-registers with several other registries, while the SMHA studbook remains open.
context_section_description: The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse developed in eastern Kentucky, and probably have their ancestry in smooth-gaited horses from the southeastern US and the now-extinct Narragansett Pacer. They are related to the Tennessee Walking Horse and other gaited breeds, but their exact early history is unknown. Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horses have a similar history to the Rocky Mountain Horse, and together are sometimes called "Mountain Pleasure Horses". The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse was developed by farmers looking for a small horse that could perform dual duty as a powerful work horse and comfortable riding horse. They were used for long travel over rough terrain, and were developed to have gentle temperaments so that they could be handled by young members of the farm families. Today, they continue to be used as riding horses, and are regarded as excellent trail mounts in rugged terrain.
  The KMSHA was founded in 1989. In 2002, a subsidiary organization, the SMHA, was formed to register horses who had more white markings than were allowed by the KMSHA. As of 2011, the KMSHA has over 3,200 members and has registered over 24,000 horses. The majority of the horses are in Kentucky, but the breed is also seen throughout the US, as well as in Canada and a small population in Europe. The KMSHA and SMHA host a joint championship show each year at the Kentucky Horse Park.
caption: A two-year-old filly
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